The day after Suyin's confrontation with the Crown Prince, she couldn't help but feel troubled by Qin Fuhua's behavior. As soon as they reached the courtyard, he dismissed himself and left for his room without a word. Suyin wondered if she had done something to upset him, but she couldn't pinpoint what it could be. Qin Fuhua had been acting dismissive towards her ever since then.
Days had passed since the declaration of war, and Qin Fuhua had been busy preparing his men and himself for the upcoming battles.
Suyin had been packing her clothes, explaining to Areum and Wu Fei that she, too, was leaving. She planned on doing her job, as a Doctor.
"Don't you think that it's too sudden...though, my lady?" Areum uttered. "I mean, I know the wedding was just a facade to save face, but doing this will validate your feelings for the Prince of Qin."
Areum knew that Suyin's heart was conflicted when it came to Qin Fuhua, and she worried that this war would only make things worse. It was a dangerous time, and Areum didn't want Suyin to put herself in harm's way just to be with the man she loved.
"It doesn't matter. I know what I have to do my job as..." She wanted to say someone who loved him, but the words didn't come out of her mouth. "A Doctor."
She wished that her engagement to Qin Fuhua was real and that they were truly in love with each other. However, she was worried and knew that it was just a political ploy to save face.
As Suyin packed her clothes, Qin Fuhua entered the room, looking troubled. Areum and Wu Fei quickly left the room, leaving the two of them alone.
"You know you cannot go."
Qin Fuhua's words were straight and forward, his words coldly passed on to Suyin, who stopped packing her things. She turned around to look back at him.
"It's because we have to care for Princess Chuhua," Suyin responded
Qin Fuhua was surprised by his response, but she understood his reasoning. She didn't want to argue with him, so she sat at the table as he stood in front of her. Suyin hesitated for a moment, wanting to express her feelings for him, but she couldn't find the right words.
"I know I cannot go with you." Suyin hesitated for a second.
Her eyes were enough for Qin Fuhua to lower his guard. His weakness: the affection that he's had for Han Suyin. Qin Fuhua kneeled in front of her, grabbing hold of her hands and placing his lips on her hand
"It worries me that you'll be away for me. I don't know how long, but all I know is that I will write to you and return as soon as possible." Qin Fuhua's words were soft-spoken and barely enough for Suyin to just hear. Suyin's heart fluttered as she listened to his words, her ears turning hot as he kissed her hand.
She shyly looked away, unsure of what to do. "Don't worry about me. I know what I need to do." She responded to him, "As the time goes on, I'll have you keep me updated about the war." Suyin uttered.
Qin Fuhua kneeled before Suyin, gazing into her eyes with an intense affection that made time stand still. The silence between them was palpable, yet the unspoken words that passed between them were louder than anything that could be vocalized.
For a moment, they simply remained there, lost in each other. But then a knock on the door interrupted their reverie, and Weizhe's voice floated in from outside, announcing that it was time to depart.
"My Lord, we will be prepared to leave soon."
Reluctantly, Qin Fuhua rose to his feet and began to walk towards the door, but Suyin couldn't bear to let him go. She tugged on the back of his robe, desperate for him to stay, to prolong their reunion just a little longer.
As he turned back to face her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. They had only just been reunited after a long separation, and now they were to be parted once more.
He bent down to reach her eyesight, looking at her as he lit a small smile.
The Prince of Qin had a reputation for being cold and unfeeling, but when he smiled at Suyin, she could see the warmth and love in his eyes. His large hands gently caressed her jawline, and he drew himself closer to her, his lips brushing against her chin in a soft, tender kiss.
As he closed his eyes, Suyin felt her heart swell with emotion, reassured by the Prince's loving gesture that everything would be alright.
"The person that I cherish the most in this world, don't give me that expression. If you do this, I won't be able to let you go," he said, his words like a gentle butterfly fluttering in her ear.
"My heart wavers whenever I think of you in the war. I'm giving you mine, in return for taking care of it."
Suyin's words flew back like a butterfly, making the two a pair of butterflies, hearts fluttering around each other.
Moved by her words, Qin Fuhua kneeled once more, enfolding her in a warm embrace. Suyin felt safe and secure in his arms, yet she knew that the thought of him leaving would always make her worried.
"Make sure that you come back to me unscathed," Suyin whispered to his ears. He pulled her back, looking into her eyes while leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on her cheeks. She blushed at his touch, feeling her heart racing.
"When I come back, I'll make sure that we will go further than this." His words took her by surprise.
She never expected the cold Prince of Qin to be so bold and expressive. Suyin could feel her ears burning with embarrassment.